Family Fundamentals – Study Guide

The Family Fundamentals Study Guide is a comprehensive, user-friendly manual for teachers, church leaders, and community organizers to engage students and groups in meaningful explorations of:

Gay rights

Scriptural edicts on homosexuality

Religious pluralism

The role of religion in a secular democratic system

The meaning of family values

Beliefs about parenting

Written in collaboration with community scholars and faith-based leaders, the 45-page guide is included with all university, educational, library, and institutional purchases of the Family Fundamentals DVD as well as the DVD box-set,Stories from the War on Homosexuality. (Home-use only DVDs come with 12-page condensed pamphlets)

Highlights of the Guide:

Discussion Topics: Thought-provoking subject matters and research projects inspired by Family Fundamentals are offered in this section and provide viewers a variety of approaches to examine the culture wars over gay issues and religion. Scenes from the film and the DVD supplements are used as starting points to illuminate specific topics and to prompt focused discussions.

Dialogues and Discussions: Step-by-step guidelines steer teachers and organizers through the process of putting together effective classroom discussions or community events that encourage civil dialogue, not rhetorical debate. This section outlines many of the basic planning details (Will the facilities be adequate?), key considerations (What makes an effective moderator?), and the more challenging goals (understanding the difference between dialogue and debate) that help create rewarding experiences. A checklist is provided to simplify the steps.

Resources: A wide range of online resources that deal with topics suggested by the film are listed in this section. Included are religious groups, including those that celebrate homosexuality as well as those that are opposed, organizations that advocate methods for gay people to “come out of homosexual,” and civil rights groups that track the role of religion in a secular democratic system.

Reading List: Whether your interests encompass an examination of how religions have historically dealt with homosexuality, or an investigation of groups that advocate “cures” for homosexuality, or stories of individuals who have grappled with their homosexuality, this list covers a spectrum of topics for people who wish to further their understanding of today’s culture wars over gay issues.

Glossaries: Basic religious and gay-related vocabulary is defined in lay terms in this section. Included are potentially problematic words and phrases that can lead to unintentional misunderstanding when used improperly.

Historical Background: An essay written by Chris Bull, award-winning Washington Correspondence for The Advocate, traces the decades-long conflict between religious conservatives and gay activists. A timeline, from the Scopes Trial in 1925 to gay marriage debates in 2004, marks key moments in the battle between the religious right and the gay movement.

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Major funding for the Family Fundamentals Study Guide was provided by the Liberty Hill Foundation’s Lesbian and Gay Community Fund. Additional funding was provided by the Hugh M. Hefner Foundation and the Monette/Horowitz Trust.